Collapsible cellular carton



July 31, 1951 K. T. BUTTERY COLLAPSIBLE CELLULAR CARTON 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 1, 1945 July 31, 1951 K. T. BUTTERY COLLAPSIBLE CELLULAR CARTON 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 1, 1945 f/aj J ly 31, 1951 K. T. BUTTERY 2,562,233

COLLAPSIBLE CELLULAR CARTON Filed Nov. 1, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 LNLuQL-QLXL U 0 O X [3,

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Patented July 31, I951 COLLAPSIBLE CELLULAR CARTON Kenneth T. Buttery, Kalamazoo, Mich., assignor to Sutherland Paper Company, Kalamazoo, Mich., a corporation of Michigan 7 Application November 1, 1945, Serial No. 626,069

Claims. (Cl. 229-28) carton type which is very rigid when set up andat the same time effectively accommodates eggs of large size without bulging the side walls thereby rendering the eggs liable to breakage.

Second, to provide a cellular carton of this type in which the end transfer partition or end walls of the carton are supported so that they are not likely to become disengaged and swing out at the ends of the carton.

Third, to provide a cellular carton in which the cover is easily engaged in closing the carton, is very securely retained and at the same time may be easily disengaged by manual manipulation.

Fourth, to provide a carton which when erected is quite rigid and at the same time the eggs are effectively cushioned.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a carton embody- 7 ing my invention disclosed.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary View in longitudinal section through one row of cells on a line corresponding to line 2-Z of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 isa transverse section on line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2, eggs being indicated in the transversely aligned cells by dotted lines, the cushioning flaps between the eggs being shown in one distorted position.

Fig. 3A is a fragmentary view corresponding to that of Fig. 3 showing the egg separating flaps in another possible position thereof.

Fig. 4 is an inverted fragmentary perspective view.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the rear wall in horizontal section.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary end perspective view showing the cover closure flap partially engaged or disengaged illustrating the relation of one of the closure flap tongues to one of the combined transverse partition hinge members and keepers.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating further details of the structure.

Fig. 9 is a plan View of the blank from which the carton is formed, one corner thereof being broken away.

I have illustrated and described my invention as embodied in an egg carton adapted to receive a dozen of eggs. The carton is preferably formed of an integral blank as shown in Fig. 9 and. comprises front wall I, rear wall 2, these walls constituting the side walls of the structure.

The bottom members 3, 3 are hingedly secured to the bottom edges of the front and rear walls at 4 preferably by scoring. The bottom members are hingedly joined to the longitudinal partition members 5, '5 along the score lines 6. The bottom members have transverse slots 1 and 8 therein, the slots 8 being the end slots. The outer edges of the slots'8 have inwardly projecting tongues ID. The bottom also has cross slits H intermediate the slots to provide cushioning elements.

The longitudinal partition members 5 are secured together in side by side relation, preferably adhesively, and each member is provided with alternating elongated holes l2 and flaps 13, the

flaps also being elongated and hingedly joined at M to their respective partition members. The flaps are somewhat smaller than the holes. The

flaps and holes are arranged so that the flap of one longitudinal partition member is aligned with the hole of the other when the partition members are secured together as is clearly shown in Figs.

2, 3 and 3A. The top members designated generally by the numeral l5 are hingedly connected at their inner edges as indicated at I6 to the upper edges of the longitudinal partition members and they are hingedly connected at I! to the sealing strips I8. These sealing strips are'joined in the blank by the fracturing line IS.

The top members are slitted and scored to @provide transverse partitions 2D and end members 2! which are adapted to project through the slots 1 and 8 in the bottom when the carton is erected.

relation to the front and rear walls of the carton as is shown for example in Fig. 3, the upper edge of the sealing flap secured to the front wall being preferablyflush with the upper edge of the front wall. This materially increases the rigidity of I the front wall, particularly at the upper edge thereof.

It is also desirable to increase the rigidity of It will be noted that the closure tongues 25 are beveled at 29 and preferably have curved heel portions 3% which facilitates their engagement with the hinge members 23 which, as stated, constitute keepers.

The closure member 26 is disposed on the inner side of the reinforced upper edge portion of' the front wall and to close the same it is only necessary to press downwardly on the cover adjacent its front edge. The tongues snap into engagement with their coasting keepers. The cover may be released by grasping the same with the thumb engaging its front edge portion and the closure and imparting an inward thrust and upward pull thereon.

To facilitate disengagement, the front walland front sealing strip are provided with a thumb hole or notch 3!. This enabl s the easy grasping of the cover and its closure flap. On the upward pull, the tongues snap out from under the keepers, their inclined edges facilitating this. The reinforced upper edge of the front wall is the important feature in this disengagement as it prevents the substantial spacing of the front wall under the disengaging stress. I have indicated' the engaging and disengaging movement in Figs. 6 and '7. The closure fastening means and parts associated therewith, heretoforev described, constitute the subject matter of a divisional application.

The top members are also out to provide upwardiy projecting cover supporting tongues 32 which support the center of the cover and further facilitate the opening as the cover cannot spring inwardly. These cover supporting members ooact with the other features in facilitating the engagement and disengagement of the cover closure.

- In Figs. 3 and 3A, I illustrate by dotted lines eggs 33, one being substantially larger than the other. There is a substantial variation in the size of eg even graded eggs, but it is a remote possibility that the larger eggs would be disposed in opposed transverse relation. The larger egg is accommodated by the holes and the deflectable flaps, the egg either projecting into the hole as shown iii-Fig. 3 or deflecting the flap through the hole as shown in Fig. 3A. This avoids the bulging cf the outer wall which would otherwise be likely to result and when that occurs the egg may be broken.

. In cartons embodying my invention the eggs are eiiectively cushioned and at the same time the carton is strong and durable and is not likely to be broken or distorted in handling.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a very practical embodiment thereof. I have not attemptee to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A collapsible carton comprising side walls, bottom members hingedly joined to the lower 4 edges of the side walls, longitudinal partition members hingedly joined to the inner edges of the bottom members and adhesively secured together in side by side relation, the height of the longitudinal partition members being substantially less than the height of the side walls, and top members hingedly joined to the upper edges of said longitudinal partition members and having sealing flaps secured to the inner sides of said side walls, said top members constituting cross members connecting the upper portions of the side walls with said partition members and being of a width substantially exceeding the width of the bottom, the bottom members being outwardly inclined when the carton is erected, said top members being slitted and scored to provide a plurality of transverse partitions erectable between the side walls and the longitudinal partition members, the longitudinal partition members having a series of alternating horizontally elongated openings and horizontally elongated flaps, the flaps of one partition member 'being aligned with the openings of the other partition member and being smaller than the openings to facilitate their swinging therethrough, said longitudinal partition members bedisposed in side by side abutting relation above and below said aligned flaps and openings, the openings being of such size as to permit an object in a cell to project into the associated opening. the flaps constituting separators for objects in transversely aligned cells, the flap of one partition member aligned with the opening of the other partition member constituting the only separator flap between the cells of each pair of. transversely aligned cells.

2. A collapsible carton comprising side walls,

. bottom members hingedly joined to the lower edges of the side walls, longitudinal partition members hingedly joined. to the inner edges of the bottom members and adhesively secured together in side by side relation, and top mem bers hingedly joined to the upper edges of said longitudinal partition members and having sealing flaps secured to the inner sides of said side walls, said top members constituting cross members connecting the upper portions of the side walls with said partition members, said top members being slitted and scored to provide a plurality of transverse partitions erectable between the side walls and the longitudinal partition members, the longitudinal partition members having a series of alternating openings and flaps, the flaps of one partition member being aligned with the openings of. the other partition memseparator flap between the cells of each pair of transversely aligned cells.

3. A cellular carton comprising side walls, downwardly diverging bottom members, longitudinal partition members secured together in side by side relation, and transversely aligned transverse partition members providing transversely aligned cells erectable between the side Walls and longitudinal partitions to provide transversely aligned cells, the longitudinal partition members having openings and flaps, the flaps of one member being aligned with the openings of the other and smaller than the openings to facilitate their swinging through the openings, said longitudinal partition members being disposed in side by side abutting relation above and. below said aligned flaps and openings, the flaps constituting swingable separators for articles in the cells the flap of one partition member aligned with the opening of the other partition member constituting the only separator flap between the cells of each pair of transversely aligned cells.

4. A cellular carton comprising bottom members, side walls, longitudinal partition members secured together in side by side relation, and transverse partition members providing transversely aligned cells, the longitudinal partition members having alternating openings and flaps of substantial size, the flaps of one longitudinal partition member being aligned with the openings of the other and swingable therethrough, said longitudinal partition members being disposed in side by side abutting relation above and below said aligned flaps and openings, the flaps constituting swingable separators for articles in the cells the flap of one partition member aligned with the opening of the other partition member constituting the only separator flap between the cells of each pair of transversely aligned cells.

5. A cellular carton comprising a bottom, side walls. longitudinal partition members secured together in side by side relation, and transverse partition members providing transversely aligned cells, the longitudinal partition members having openings and flaps, the flaps of one longitudinal partition member being aligned with the openings of the other and swingable therethrough, said longitudinal partition members being disposed in side by side abutting relation above and below said aligned flaps and openings, the flaps constituting swingable separators for articles in the cells the flap of one partition member aligned with the opening of the other partition member constituting the only separator flap between the cells of each pair of transversely aligned cells.

KENNETH T. BUTTERY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,539,875 Schwartzberg June 2, 1925 1,540,369 Scotcher June 2, 1925 1,763,588 Johnson June 10, 1930 2,068,780 Walsh Jan. 26, 1937 2,113,459 Brundin Apr. 5, 1938 2,135,678 Scotoher Nov. 8, 1938 2,333,244 Gordon Nov, 2, 1943 2,382,202 Buttery Aug. 14, 1945 2,385,401 Buttery Sept. 25, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 9,756 Great, Britain Apr. 21, 1911 

